Giving Chances
by xiLynnx
Summary: Fate cornered them into a loveless marriage. When they finally break free, fate shall once again bring them together. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Giving Chances**

_"Fate, Chance, God's Will - we all try to account for our lives somehow. _

_What are the chances that two raindrops, flung from the heavens, will merge on a windowpane? _

_Gotta be Fate. " _-Robert Brault

The dinner table was left untouched that night, like the many nights before. The table's owners were sleeping up stairs, each spouse in a different bed and room. The lady of the house had not cooked in so long that the pots and pans felt replaced by the convince of frozen food, for there was no point in preparing a meal if it was just for oneself.

The man of the house came home late each night, tie loose and smelling of various scents of woman's perfume. The lady did not care, for from the beginning, neither had expected much from each other. He left before she woke and returned well past midnight after she had fallen asleep, unbeknown to him, on a tear-drenched pillow. The couple had not confronted each other for the last 3 months and both assumed that their daily routine would not change.

That night, at an ungodly hour, she had woken up, mouth dry and begging for water. Fifteen minutes later, the lady was seated at the dusty dinner table, a cup half-full of water beside her with one hand cradling her tilting head. She was lost in thought, daydreaming, about the "_what if"_ in her life if she had married for love instead of a life-bounding contact for power.

A clean house-. No. A messy house with toddler toys scattered randomly in several room. A cute little girl dressed in a pretty pink dress with a charming smile and a fearless, curious baby boy with dimples roaming the baby proofed household. She smiled at the lovely thought. She could only dream and stay hopeful for that day to come.

The sound of glass shattering awake her from her daydream and back to reality. The remains of a fancy glass cup lay dispersed in different directions on the kitchen floor. Besides it, a pair of black pants and shoes stood frozen. Her gazed moved up, and she took in the disheveled hair, wrinkled dress shirt, and distinguished bags underneath familiar dark eyes that indicated many late nights of hard work and other...types of work.

Her absent, legal husband was standing in front of her eyes.

Realizing she was carefully scrutinizing him, he leaned down to pick up the pieces of glass hoping to avoid her criticizing gaze.

"I'll do it," she announced, causing him to look up at her as she quickly moved out of her chair.

"No. It's fi-," he tried to retort.

"You'll cut yourself."

He sighed as she returned with a broom and clean up the left over residue of his carelessness.

Silence hung over them as the sharp pieces of glass slowly vanished from view.

"Thanks."

She gave a small nod, accepting his gratitude.

Following their little encounter, the lady of the house headed back up to her room as the man of the house stayed paralyzed downstairs, relishing the beautiful, dreamy expression on his wife's face. It reminded him of who she used to be, who they used to be, and their happier times in life as well. Her face was so captivating that he had momentarily forgotten who he was and dropped his glass of water.

She didn't deserve this. Neither did he. She was too young. They both were. They met in college and were good friends, but with their family background, both were forced into this agreement right after graduating from college. She had tried to make this pleasant at first, but his selfish actions caused her to abandon her intentions. She knew he was unfaithful, but what could she do? Either way, he felt guilty for not giving her a way out.

The following week was uneventful. Neither of them saw the other again, although their presence lingered in each other's minds.

After going out for a small walk, the lady of the house came home to a bright pair of pink heels left at the front door. She slowly stepped up the stairs, scared of what she hoped was not true and then heard a light female voice giggling coming from the master bedroom. The usually vacant bedroom, that they had both mentally agreed was too big for either of them to sleep in without feeling like they were missing something, was occupied.

She opened the door with a shaking hand and her lavender eyes widened as the inside of the bedroom came into view. The women she recognized as his secretary straddling his lap; her tongue on his neck. When she turned around and saw the wife, she gasped and scampered out of the room.

"Hinata...," he started to say as he stood up, fully clothed except for his top two shirt buttons.

She couldn't look him in the eye. She believed he respected her enough to not bring those ladies home. Apparently, her assumptions of him was wrong.

"Just don't Sasuke," she pleaded and shook her head, telling him not to say any more and retreated to her bedroom. That night, the lady of the house cried her eyes out over the proof that their marriage never should have occurred.

Sasuke stayed home the next day, so he could apologize to her and somehow, someway try to change their relationship for the better. He was in the wrong the entire time, and he realized that. He honestly didn't know what happened. The women had asked to see his home, and he had blindly said yes. He tightly clenched the edge of the table as the memory of Hinata's shock and betrayed face came back to him. It was all his fault. Everything was.

A cup of coffee stood in front of him as he watched her slowly descend the stairs. Her eyes were red and her hair frizzled, yet she still looked beautiful in plain tee-shirt and pair of shorts.

He was utterly shocked and baffled when she walked up to him and softly cradled his face with the palm of her right hand. Her hands were soft, and her eyes were stunning bright as they gazed at each other. She kissed him. Innocently at first, but then with more fervor as their mouths pressed together desperately.

It would have looked passionate to a bystander, but it lacked the essential emotions of what a simple kiss would have contained. There were no sparks like those that would come from two people in love, just forced lips against each other in a pointless war, hopelessly wishing that there had to be something, some kind of hope that their loveless marriage could continue and one day they would end up truly content and happy, but it was all in vein.

He broke away when he felt something wet and cool slide down his cheek. Her hands fell from his face.

"It never would have worked out," she sorrowfully whispered under her breath.

"I know. I'm sorry Hinata," he replied, his voice low and deep as he lightly wiped her tears away.

An hour later, she appeared as the calm and dignified women people knew her to be with a suitcase in hand. He had not moved from where he was.

"The divorce papers are on my bed," she announced and slightly paused, unsure of what to say next, "It was...nice meeting you Sasuke."

Sparing him a longing glance of a lost friendship, she walked out of the door and out of his life. Her actions giving them both an escape from the the horrendous predicament they had forced themselves to live through these last few years.

Six years later, the former lady and man of the house would be in their thirties, successful in their own ways. She became a loveable and reliable elementary school teacher, but an unable to commit girlfriend. He turned into a life-saving doctor, engaged to a women he never loved due to the bitter rules of society. He had decided to cancel the engagement a week later.

One unfortunate day accompanying the chilling winds of fall, a student of Hinata's had experience a seizure, and she had quickly rushed him to the hospital. The student passed away the same day, and she had cried with the family like he was her own.

After the family left to go grieve and solemnly plan the funeral at home, she had silently sat in a corner of the hospital cafeteria with her head in her arms and cried. The doctor who was unable to successfully treat the boy was on break, and seeing the weeping woman; he tried to consolidate her.

He had smoothly patted her shaking shoulder and and whispered his apologies. He stayed with her until her tears had ceased, and she lifted her head to thank him for his kind words. When their eyes met, recognition flashed and memories from their entwined past resurfaced.

"Sasuke..."

Fate had given them a chance to redeem themselves.

* * *

><p>First of all, if anyone is wondering how Hinata and Sasuke arrived to their current situation, here is the succinct version. They were basically pushed into marriage immediately after finishing their education because of familybusiness issues. They were friends in college, but that was about the extent of their relationship. Second, their ages to begin with are 23/24. And six years later (do the math!), they end up around 29/30.

I hope everyone who read this enjoyed. Any comments/criticism are greatly appreciated. Anything baffling, hopefully I can clear up. Any mistakes, please tell me so I can fix! Thank you and please kindly review and toss in your two cents :)

- xilynnx


	2. Chapter 2

**Second Chances **

_"If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down."_

- Mary Pickford

It was an awkward reunion to say the least.

The moment his name had escaped her lips, he had hastily gotten up, muttering a quick apology and an excuse about how his break was over; his eyes never meeting hers. He missed the look of fury that slowly crept into her eyes, staring into his back.

Honestly, he was afraid and ashamed of his former self, a confused, selfish, dumb, teenager stuck in an adult's body who knew nothing of the world. And when reality had forcefully made him commit, he did the only thing he knew how to do. Run. Even now, that was the only thing he knew how to do.

So when he felt firm, but soft fingers grip his wrist, he was frightened; his only way of escape was blocked.

"Don't you _dare_ run away from me Sasuke."

Regaining his composure and faking a placid face, he turned to his ex-wife. She looked the same as the last time he saw her. Hair frizzled, eyes blood-shot due to crying, but her eyes told him she had matured. The shy, accepting girl he once knew was no longer there. She had been replaced with a confident, wise woman with a wistful longing of solving her regrets. She had obviously grown up, while he had not, still stuck in the mistakes of his past. And she knew it as well as he did.

In a surprising contrast to her tone from earlier, she spoke the words that would forever be engrained in his mind.

"Accept the past and let go Sasuke. If you don't, you'll never become the man you are destined to be."

Her grip relaxed and slipped from his wrist as she offered him a small, tentative smile.

"I'll be seeing you around," she glanced at his name tag, "Dr. Uchiha."

She chuckled to herself and flashed him a familiar smile that he recalled in college, a happier time before their marriage, and she left.

* * *

><p>True to her word, he would be seeing her, everyday for the next several weeks for a matter of fact.<p>

During his break, she would stop by his workplace, two brown lunch bags in hand, politely asking him if he would like to go eat. It would have been rude to decline.

The first time she stopped by, he was skeptical and surprised. The second time, he was confused and thought she was strange. The third time, he was relieved and happy, he had somehow gained back an old friend.

They always began by avoiding talks of the past, and instead conversed about work and the present. But it always ended with each of them sharing a confession. For her, it was to gain back a friendship that never should have faded. To him, it was a chance to let go of the past and a chance at redemption.

* * *

><p>"I forgive you you know?"<p>

Surprised, he slightly choked on his sandwich and looked up at her.

"What?"

She sighed. Gracefully placing her elbow on the table and letting her head rest in her hands, she tilted her head to look at him, deeply contemplating her thoughts.

"I forgive you."

He placed his sandwich down, immediately understanding the meaning behind her words.

"What brought this up?"

"I don't know. I just felt like I had to say it."

"I…," he faltered "Thank you."

She smiled at him, and he felt a comforting warmth seep through his body.

"So I had the kids finger paint today, and you wouldn't guess what they did!"

He gave her a small smile and urged her to continue.

"They…"

He was so thankful fate had brought them back together even after all the horrible things he had done to her. But he felt this woman – this incredible, beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, utterly perfect woman – was it.

They weren't in love then, but maybe all their hatred at the world had suppressed any emotions. Maybe they had a chance back then, but he had screwed it up.

_That kiss_, he remembered was the deciding factor of their marriage and that kiss back then was invalid. You don't determine the value of love through fireworks and sparks; you determine the value of love through mutual respect and trust. Life isn't a fairytale. It's reality, through and through.

They might not be in love now, but he felt like he could love her, he knows he could. He knows he was given this second chance to love her, to make her happy, to never hurt her again. And he was determined to take it.

* * *

><p>"Have you realized how much kids use crayons? I mean, I had just bought a brand new box and now all the crayons are halfway worn down! Not to mention broken into pieces. Except for white of course. Why would they make a white crayon anyways?"<p>

He nodded, amused at her recent observation. Every time she talked about her students, her eyes instantly lit up, filling with warmth and happiness. He loved that look in her eyes.

"It's a white crayon! Who colors white on white? It makes absolutely no sense!"

She took a breath and took a bite of her sandwich, giving him the opportunity to speak up.

"Hinata."

"Yes?"

"Let's start over. From scratch."

She stared disbelievingly at him, surprised.

"What?"

"Let's start over."

"…Ok."

* * *

><p>She came into the hospital the next day wearing faded blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt with her hair in a messy bun, but he thought she had never looked more beautiful. She came up to him, a knowing look in her eyes, and he reached out a hand.<p>

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha."

She took it.

"Hinata Hyuuga."

They smiled at each other.

He was free. No more would he look upon his past and run away. His future was calling and he was taking this second chance with her helping him every step of the way.

* * *

><p>So I know I told everyone that this was initially going to be a one-shot, but I kept reading the reviews over and over again and felt indebted to the reviewers. I'm kind of a year late, but to everyone who wanted a sequel, here it is!<p>

I would also like to emphasize that I was trying to make a point in this chapter; that life isn't like in the movies or (in our case) fanfics. Love isn't a word easily said or expressed, it has too much profound meaning for careless slips from the mouth and fireworks/sparks/bells exploding in your mind. It's much deeper then that.

Anyways, sorry for my philosophical ranting. I hope everyone enjoyed and please give me some feedback! They would be greatly appreciated. :)

- xilynnx


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